'Duocing Jianke Wucing Jian' literally means the great charming knight-errant and
the feelingless sword. Only a few characters appear in this story. Male characters include
Li Syunhaun the protagonist, Shangguan Jinhong, Afei, Jing Wuming, and females are Lin
Shihin, Lin Sianer, Sun Siaohong. It is divided into two sections, and Li Cyunhan plays
the main role in both sections to discover hidden secrets and fight against evil. The
first section starts with Lin Sianer using the name of the retired infamous thief, Meihua
Dao to harmfully disturb the martial arts circle, and it finishes with the disappearance
of Lin Sianer and Afei. The second section begin when the Jincian Bang gang led by
Shangguan Jinhong schemed to dominate the martial arts circle and ends when Shangguan
Jinhong is killed. The characters were
deliberately created to be one against the other. Each character does things opposite to
what his or her counterpart does, but their personalities are almost identical, such as Li
Syunhuan versus Shangguan Jinhong, Afei versus Jing Wuming, Lin Shiyin versus Lin Sianer.
Li Syunhuan once mentioned his irreconcilable enemy by saying, "If Shangguan Jinhong
were not what he is now, there would be no reason that we can not become good
friends." The author Gu Long also used other character's words to describe the
relationship between Li Syunhuan and Shangguan Jinhong, saying, "These two men are
similar in some ways," and "They are both inhuman........ If Li Syunhuan were
not called Li Syunhuan then he should be named Shangguan Jinhong." The author also
liked to emphasize either that one's most reliable friend was his most threatening enemy
or that it always happened that one's most dangerous competitor was the one who truly knew
him. "Friendship" under the author's pen was based on mutual understanding and
this understanding was an access through which one could find himself. As a result, mutual
interation between the character and his counterpart or his subconscious intermingled with
the story lines are the most excellent part of this book.
Misfortune always comes after Li Syunhuan, the embodiment
of righteousness, who leads a poetic and martyrdom-like life style. Other male characters,
Shangguan Jinhong, Afei and Jing Wuming individually represented a thirst for power,
rustic energy and living in despiration. Lin Shiyin is Li Syunhuan's fiancee, but she does
not marry him. Lin Sianer is almost as important as Li Syunhuan, and she is the leading
character of the first section of this story. She is not only a provoking witch as the
book describes but also a mirror reflecting the sexual anxiety of a man when he feels that
he is loosing power by confronting a beautiful female.
Who is the Duocing Jianke, the great charming knight-errant
mentioned in this book's title? According to the author, it is Afei, a young man from the
vast rural countryside. He learned urban manners step by step, and Li Syunhuan plays the
role as his urban father and Lin Sianer is like his mother.
This novel is regarded as one of Gu Long's best works in
his mature period. It is outstanding among the many other wusia novels. |
